Harry leaves African charity he co-founded

The Duke of Sussex has resigned as a patron of Sentebale. This charity is based in Lesotho and was co-founded by Prince Harry. His resignation follows a conflict between the trustees and the chair of its board.

Prince Harry stepped down alongside co-founder Prince Seeiso and the board's trustees. Dr. Sophie Chandauka's relationship with the trustees "broke down beyond repair." She sued the charity after being asked to resign.

Dr. Chandauka reported the charity to the UK Charity Commission. She claimed she had "blown the whistle" on "abuse of power" and "harassment." Her work aimed to protect the integrity of Sentebale.

The Charity Commission is aware of concerns about Sentebale's governance and is investigating them. Sentebale was founded in 2006 to address HIV and AIDS among young people in Lesotho and Botswana.

In a joint statement, Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso expressed their sadness over resigning as patrons. They support the board of trustees, who also resigned due to an untenable situation.

They stated that it was devastating that trust had broken down between the chairwoman and trustees. The trustees acted in the charity's best interest by asking her to step down, considering staff wellbeing. However, she sued to remain in her position, highlighting their fractured relationship.

The princes plan to share their concerns with the Charity Commission regarding these issues. Former trustees Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr. Kelello Lerotholi, and Damian West called their decision "devastating."

They lost trust in the chairwoman but felt forced to resign for the charity's best interest due to potential legal burdens. They emphasized that this choice was not made willingly but out of necessity.

Dr. Chandauka stated her work at Sentebale focused on fairness for all individuals, regardless of status or wealth. She criticized those who act above the law while mistreating others.

She described her experience as one where she challenged poor governance, bullying, harassment, misogyny, and cover-ups within Sentebale.

The charity claimed it had not received resignations from either royal patron but confirmed a board restructuring on Tuesday. This aims to bring in experts who can help accelerate Sentebale’s transformation agenda.

Last April, they announced plans to shift focus from HIV/AIDS impacts on children to broader youth health issues in Southern Africa. The board recalibration is part of this ambitious transformation agenda.

The Charity Commission reiterated its awareness of governance concerns at Sentebale and is assessing them for regulatory action.